Natural History. 395 



similar crystals in other speciments of quartz, which have been ascer- 

 tained by experiment to be carbonate of lime. Some years ago Dr. 

 Brewster had occasion to remark the existence of spherical groups of 

 white crystals, both in the solid mass of quartz crystal from Quebec, 

 and in cavities in them ; these exactly resembled the crystals in Mr. 

 Allan's specimen, and when analyzed, were found to be calcareous 

 spar. — Edin. Jour. ix. 268. 



6. Chloride of Potassium.— Mr. Smithson, on examining a mass 

 said to have been thrown out of Vesuvius, found it to be a red fer- 

 ruginous spongy lava, with here and there a crystal of augite, pyroxine, 

 or hornblende, and containing veins of a white crystalline matter, 

 which, on examination, proved to be chloride of potassium. Mr. 

 Smithson supposes this substance to have been sublimed into the 

 lava.— Ann. F/iil. N. S. vi. 258. 



7. Chlorine a Remedy in Scarlet Fever.— Br. Brown employs chlo- 

 rine in solution in cases of the scarlet fever, he says with the utmost 

 success. From a tea-spoonful to a table-spoonful is given every 

 two or three hours, without the addition of any other substance. The 

 solution should be fresh and swallowed quickly to avoid coughing; in 

 the sore throat sometimes accompanying the fever, it is more easily 

 swallowed than mucilaginous drinks. As the disease declines, the 

 quantity of medicine is diminished : the whole quantity in the cases 

 of children has never exceeded two ounces, and in adults five 



8. Effects of the Chloride of Lime as a Disinfect or. — MM. Orfila 

 Leseure, Gerdy and Hcnnelle, having to examine the body of an in- 

 dividual who was supposed to have been poisoned, and who had been 

 dead for nearly a month, found the smell so insupportable that they 

 weie induced to try the application of the chloride of lime, as recom- 

 mended by M. Labarraque. A solution of this substance was fre- 

 quently sprinkled over the body, and produced quite a wonderful 

 effect, for scarcely had they made a few aspersions when the un- 

 pleasant odour was instantly destroyed, and the operation could be 

 proceeded in with comparative comfort. 



9. Use of Sugar as an Antidote to Lead in Cases of Poisoning. — The 

 following feet has been stated by M. Reynard to the Socicte des 

 Sciences of Lisle. During the campaign of Russia several loaves of 

 sugar had been enclosed in a chest containing some flasks of extract 

 of lead. One of these flasks having been broken, the liquid escaped, 

 and the sugar became impregnated with it. During the distresses of 

 the campaign it was necessary to have recourse to this sugar; but far 

 from producing the fatal results which were expected, the sugar 

 formed a salutary article of nourishment to tho^e who made use of it, 



